Individual-step brush insert



F. H. STANWOOD INDIVIDUAL STEP BRUSH INSERT Filed Sept. 22, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Jan. 8; 1929. Y 1,698,005

F. H. STANWOOD INDIVIDUAL STEP BRUSH INSERT Filed se t. 22, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 8, 1929.

F. H. STANWOOD INDIVIDUAL STEP BRUSH INSERT Filed Sept. 22, 1924 SSheets-Sheet 3 v 1 A 1 I 1 I 1 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

. rants rennin 3,;srenwoon, or w1L1vrnT'rn,,iLLi-nors, Assrenon rr'o sranwoon nenir- .-'MEN'1 consent, or person, MICHIGAN, e oonrona'rron onnnm INDIVIDUAL-STE? snusrr- INSERT.

. Applicationfiled September 22, 1924. Serial No. 738,989.

My -,inventionrelates toiindividual steps for automobiles and has for its principal object the provision of step of the general character shown in my-.co-pending application Serial No. 728,521,;filedJuly 28,1924, equipped with a ,brush,;or brushes adapted for cleaning the shoes off persons entering the car. I I

An important object ;of the. invention ;is the provision of an automobile step .having inserted brushes arranged in-such manner as to be easily removable for; replacement or other. cause, provision being made,-.in this connection, for substituting single sections when desirable without replacing the entire brush unit employed in the step A further object is the provision of an individual step of this character so formed as to be automatically cleaned, provision being made for discharging thedirt collected by the brushes without attention by the 7 person caring for the car.

Another. object is the provision of an individual step of compactand rigid construction, which will be durable in service and will present a pleasing apperance, enhancingthe beauty of the car. on whichritis-used.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following .description, which, taken .in connection with the accompanying drawings discloses a pre ferred embodiment thereof. Referring to the drawlngs, Figure. 1 1s aiperspective vlewofan 1nd1- vidual step in which my inventionis embodied; V

, Eig. 2 is a bottom plan view -thereof;

Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section,itaken substantially ,upon the 7 Section line -3--3 in Fig. .2

Fig. 4-is a front-to-back section,.t akensubstantially upon the'line jie t inFig. 3 {Fig.5 is aperspective view of the-plate employed for receiving an'd concealingzthe heads. ofthe bolts which are used inisecuringthe brushes in place; and i Fig. .6 is atI'ELIlSVQITSBwSQCtiQIlfll .view of said plate with the-rubber covering thereon. The [automobile step which I have :shown uponitheldravvings, forpurposes of illustration, comprises ,aunitary -metal insert ,21,

whichis preferably made of pressed steel and is enclosed within a rubber covering 22, extending-in the presentinstance, over the entire surface of said metal insert onsboth sides thereof, said covering being formed of flexible. rubber, which may be -molded to' the "form desired andbonded to the 'inetal by a-Jsuitable vulcanizing :proc'ess, "though it willbeunderstood that, from certain as- 'pectsiof-the invention, thisv coveringsand the manner in which itis applied are immaterial and maybe omittedaltogether, if desired.

The rubber covering 22 conforms throughout-toethe shapeo-f the metal member 21 and the'zunit *formed by these:.parts'=will,: therefore, be described as a; single piece.- kllhe body thereof consists, of i a. plurality of, channels 23, formed by front+to+backribs 24 athe bottom-of said channels :being inclined from both ends toward the centerand0penings25 being provided in each channel at-the .low point therein. 1

Thestepxmembenkatethesides and'zback, is turned upwardlya at 26 andithen horizontally at-27, providing a ledge -.28.and;being :againturned upwardlyiat 29 and arched, as

indicated at 31, to provide Idownwardly 43X- tendingaflanges '32, .the side walls and rear .wal1.;3 i thus formed being relatively thick and giving a substantial appearance,

as well as providing ;ch-annels-:35 on; the under side of the step -:for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. 1 m

At .the :front, the step :member is :turn'ed upwardly at '36, then horizontally at 3,7..aand terminates in .a depending flange 38, above :whichis ainosing 39 forjme'dkby thickening androrrugittillg the :rubber covering, as

shown in :Figs. Lands. T'hefside wallsq33j I are widened at the forward. ends thereof, as shown at 41, and the side flanges32 are sloped .downzwardly 42 5 (see Fig. .4) to the :plane; of the lower extremity of :the front :flange .38. -Thefistep thus formed is Every rigidv andkdur-able and, presents :a massive and substantialappearance. H I Clearing brushes :43 are .inserted-inythe inset floor-\portion of the step, thebristlesbf saidbrushes being secured in-base members,

.45,- Which, in the present instance areforme'd of. wood and rest upon the iribs:2tin-the bottom Of=th6rStep.w The opposite ends of these front and zback base members A5 Q-are secured .-to. the step by means-.of-bolts-zriii,

extending therethrough and through i-apertems provided atthe cornersqof the step member (see Figs. 2 a;nd' "3), th'eiheads of said bolts being disposedina Ueshaped;re-

'taining plate 47 which extends across the ends of the base members 44, holding the intermediate brushes in place and concealing the heads of the bolts. Suitable apertures. 48 are provided'in one flange of said U- shaped member 47 and the top flange. 49 thereof is smooth and is adapted to be disposed just within and forming continuations ofthe ledges 28 of the side member. A rubber covering 52 is provided for the plates 47; and it will be apparent that there is no exposed metal which might rust and thus mar the appearance of-the step.

It will be evident that by merely removing the bolts 46, the brushes 43 may be removed, and, inasmuch as the top surface of the plate 1 is made up of a plurality of brushes, or

brush xsections, they may 7 be individually replaced ,when necessary, in economical and convenient manner.

The dirt fallingbetween the brushes 43 will be directed'to the center of the channels 23 and out through the holes 25, this dis-= charge of the dirt being effected ordinarily merely by the vibrations of the car and the step, therefore, requiring little or no attention after it has been positioned.

The rear ends of the channels 35 are open,

as indicated at 51, in order that the step may be placed upon a suitable hanger, or supporting bracket extending out from the car and, ifv desired,fastening devices may obviously be employed to attach the rear flange 32 to the car body, the particular manner of attachment not forming any part of my invention and, therefore, not being shown in the drawings. o

'Itis thought'that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely I claim; 1 V

1. An individual step for an automobile,

comprising, a one piece pressed metal member adapted to be supportedfrom a chassis of an automobile, said member being formed with upstanding rear and side border walls formingl'an intervening inset, the bottom walls of said inset portion, being provided with struck-up ribs extending substantially thereacross, said ribs being formed to provide intervening pockets, having downwardly. con-,

verging walls terminating in a discharge aperture :through said walls, a plurality of individual-brushes mounted inspaced apart relation and resting on said struck-up ribs,

fbeing -substantially (Joextensive with said inset, and means for detachably holding said brushes in assembled relation.

2. Anindividual step for an automobile,

comprising, a one piece pressed metal memberihavmg upstanding back and slde walls.

forming an intermediate inset, said pressed steel member being covered with a rubber coating, and the front wall of said steel member having a nosing extending along its forp I the. discharge of dirt falling from said brushes between the spaces thereof.

3. In an individual step for automobiles, the combination of a pressed metal member having its wall portions formed to provide j an inset, a plurality ofv brushes disposed in said inset and in'spaced apart relation, bolts passing upwardly through the bottom wall of the inset, a clamping strip overlying said brushes connected to said bolts, said clamping member having an integral portion adapted to overlie said bolts to hide them from view. 7 b

i. In a step for automobiles the combination of an integral pressed metal memher having its side and rear provided with upstanding wall portions forming a threesided border with a central inset, the bottom wall of said member at said inset be ing provided with a plurality of upstanding ribs forming intervening pockets, said pockets inclining from each'outer edge in:

wardly and downwardly and terminating in v dirt discharg ng apertures formed through with upstanding walls to provide a border portion surrounding the central inset, the

front portion of said border walls being pro-' vided with a nosing, a plurality of indivldual brushes spaced apart and co extensive with the said inset portlon, and means for detachablyholding said brushes'in ass'embled position, the bottom wall offsai'dinset being formed to"discharge dirt passing in between said brushes. y

6. A step for. an automobile, comprising a pressed steel; member having struck-up walls forming two sides and a rear portion, 7 said struck-up walls term nating in depe'nding flanges, spaced from" the struck-up wall flangeat the rear being open to permitthe insertion of a hanger forsupporting said step, the front ends of said struck-up wall portions being widened at the top and-slopportion, each portion'of the depending Y ing downwardly and outwardly, a plurality of brushes detachably mounted in the por-' tion between said side and rear walls, and

means for attaching said brushes to said member.

7. In a step for an automobile, the combination of a pressed steel member formed with upstanding walls, providing a border portion and providing an intermediate inset, the front wall portion bein relatively low compared to said struck-up portions, said pressed steel member being formed with a rubber covering extending over the entire surface of said metal, on both sides thereof, and being vulcanized thereto, the front portion of said metal member being provided with a thickened rubber coating having a corrugated exterior forming a nosing.

8. In a step for an automobile, thecombination of a pressed steel metal member having struck-up border portions providing an intermediate inset, said metal member being provided on both sides with a rubber covering suitably adhering thereto, a

plurality of individual brushes mounted in spaced apart relation on said inset, a plural ity of fastening means for demountably holding said brushes in assembled position on said inset, and a plurality of metal strips passing over the ends of the brushes, said strips being constructed and arranged to cover said fastening means, said strips having their exposed faces wholly covered with rubber suitably adhered thereto.

9. Anindividual step, comprising a sheet metal body formed to provide edge flanges and an intermediate inset, a rubber covering completely enclosing said body, a plu rality of brushes resting upon rubber covered portions of said body and lying in spaced apart relation substantially co-eX-' tensive with sa1d lnset, and means for holding said brushes in assembled relation.

10. An lndividual step, comprising a sheet metal body formed to provide edge flanges arranged to drain dirt filling thereinto, said upstanding ribs being covered with rubber,

a plurality ofbrushes lying across said ribs in spaced-apart relation, and means for holding said brushes in assembled position.

12. An individual step, comprising a sheet 1 metal body formed to provide edge flanges and an intermediate inset, said body having upstanding portions forming brush supports, said portions being covered with rubber, a plurality of brushes lying across said upstanding portions in spaced-apart relationthereon, clamping strips overlying said said brushes, bolts passing through the bottom of said inset and engaging. said clamping strips, whereby to hold said brushes in assembled position.

13. An individual step, comprising a sheet metal body formed to-provide edge flanges and an intermediate inset, said body having upstanding portions forming brush sup-- ports, said portions being covered with rubber, aplurality of brushes lying across said upstanding portions in spaced-apart relation thereon, clamping strips overlying said brushes, bolts passing through the bottom of said inset and engaging said clamping strips, said clamping strips having a portion adapted to be folded over to cover said bolt to hide the same from view.

FRANK H. STANWOOD. 

